


Ancient History

by godofplumsandthunder



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 1940s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Big Gay Love Story, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Meetings, Idiots in Love, M/M, Major Character Injury, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Retirement, Steve and Bucky get their happy ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:42:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29296824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godofplumsandthunder/pseuds/godofplumsandthunder
Summary: Peter Parker thought he knew everything there was to know about his Uncle Steve. Scrawny, mouthy guy from Brooklyn, given a once in a life time chance to not only heal his laundry list of health issues but serve his country. After decades under, he was finally reunited with the love of his life, and was able to settle down with James Barnes. But after a American History lesson at school, Peter is left with more questions about the man he thought he knew. Steve and Bucky take Peter on their own lesson, about ancient history.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	1. Our First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Like the tags say, this is a Stucky fic that flashes back to their relationship in the 30s. So there is some mild period homophobia, mainly Bucky has some internalized homophobia. There's nothing major, but I did want to tag this just in case.

“And so, as ‘The Valkyrie’ made its fast descent into the Arctic Ocean, Captain Steve Rogers lowered the plane into the ocean, saving humanity from the treacherous plans of the Red Skull. Captain Rogers’ sacrifice cost him everything, choosing to leave behind the love of his life, his fiancée Peggy Carter, and their unborn baby. Sadly, losing the love of her life caused Agent Carter to miss carriage, losing the last surviving piece of Captain Rogers. But, as you know, the story doesn’t end there,” the school bell rings, cutting off Ms. Lund, Peter Parker’s American history teacher. Filing out of the over cramped room, Peter is left speechless. He couldn’t mention anything in class, but he thought he knew his Uncle Steve. Losing a child would affect him, right? Steve would have said something. Walking home, Peter decided to make a quick pit stop at the Avenger’s compound, where Steve and Bucky were enjoying their retirement. Sending a quick text to Aunt May letting her know he wouldn’t be home for dinner, Peter quickly slung his way over.

Peter found Steve and Bucky in the living room, Steve playing Mario Karts (he picked up a love for the game in his retirement, don’t blame the man, okay?) while Bucky read some weird book in Russian.

“You!” Peter points at Steve, “you have a lot of explaining to do! I thought we were family! But I had to find out from my freaking history teacher that you and Peggy were engaged and you were having a baby together?” Flopping down on the couch, Peter stares Steve down, his eyes showing how truly hurt the kid was.

“I… What?” Pausing his game, Steve looks up from his game confused. And Peter, crossing his arms, shakes his head. “Don’t lie to me! I thought we were close!” And sure, Peter knows he’s probably acting like a baby, but Peter’s pain is genuine. Steve was the first one to know about his crush on MJ, even helped him plan their first date. After Tony died, Steve became his father figure, someone he looked up to and tried to emulate.

“No, you just caught me off guard Petey. God, is that what they are teaching these days? No, I’m… Peggy and I…” Bucky cuts Steve’s floundering.

“He’s gay Peter, not bi or pan, gay. He likes dick, more specifically mine.” Steve blushes as he reprimands Bucky.

“Jesus, Buck, language! He’s still a kid! But he’s right Peter. I’m gay, I’ve always have been, and I always knew it too. Peggy and I were just really good friends. God, they’re saying I had a kid with Pegs, can you believe it, Buck?”

“Yeah, I can, actually. The government loves to erase me from your, our story.” The bitterness and hurt in Bucky’s voice don't go unnoticed by Steve or Peter. “For fuck’s sake, they’re still pushing this bullshit Americana nuclear family. We’re not in the ’30s! Instead of giving the kids hope, that their sexuality can’t limit their dreams, no keep on pushing this shit!” A heavy silence blankets the room. Bucky’s anger is still fuming in him. And in traditional Peter fashion, he butts in.

“Well, I’d like to know your story! We have to give a presentation on you, Steve, and well I know it’s just one classroom in Queens, but I’d like to tell your story. And I’d love to see my teacher try to correct me. I’ll just show her my Works Cited page. Two resources, Steven Grant Rogers and James Buchanan Barnes.” Steve, smiling at Peter, takes Bucky’s hand in his, rubbing over the vibranium band.

“What’d you say Bucky, do you want our story to be told?”

Putting the book down, Bucky cuddles up next to Steve as he turns to Peter.

“Buckle up, spidey. Our story is a long one.”

**\-----**

The last thing that Bucky wanted to do after moving halfway across the country at the start of the Great Depression was to go to mass. Hell, his family wasn’t even Catholic, but the way his Ma saw it was they could take any additional help they could get. And if that meant listening to some Catholic priest ramble on about the virtues of Saint Peter, then so be it. Even if Bucky complained the entire walk to the small chapel.

See Bucky wasn’t that religious. He believed that there had to be some sort of God, a purpose as to why we were all here. But he never once thought about becoming a catholic. So while the Father was rambling on about the lessons we could learn from Mary Magdalene, all Bucky wanted to do was go home and have some lunch. Bored, Bucky decides he’s going to play some people watching. Looking around, he sees the usual church suspects. Stuffy old ladies in godawful hats. Even his people-watching is getting boring. That is until he sees him. A boy, probably close to his age, 15 or 16 max, but small for his age. He had the most beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes. Bucky’s heart is racing, as he tries to push the thoughts in his head away. Recently he’s been having inappropriate thoughts about some of the boys at school. As his friends would go on and on about the gals they fancied, Bucky’s heart was set on the wrong gender. Or at least that is what he was taught to learn.

“Now brothers and sisters, the sister of the covenant prepared a light luncheon that’ll be served outside!” Father O’Malley’s booming voice broke Bucky out of his thinking. Getting up, he turns to his ma.

“I saw a boy that’s my age. Can I go talk to him?” Winnie simply nods as she frets over Becca’s dress. That girl could ruin any dress. Bucky wades through the crowd of people and finally makes it out to the church patio where he sees the blondie, alone on a bench, drawing.

Mustering up all the courage he has, Bucky steps up in front of the boy. “Hi, I’m Bucky. Family just moved here.” Blondie, as Bucky dubbed the boy in his mind, looks up. And god, those blue eyes were so much brighter up close.

“I’m Steve,” smiling at Bucky he motions to the empty space next to him. “Care to sit? My ma went to get some food. I don’t have many friends, as you could probably tell.” Bucky chuckles softly.

“I don’t either. Guess we can be each other’s friends.”

Something there clicked inside of Bucky. He finally understood what the other boys felt when they talked about their crush. Heart pounding and sweaty palms, as he tried to make sure he made a good first impression. He imagined going on dates with Steve, giving him the world. But Bucky knew he couldn’t have those things. He couldn’t take Steve out dancing, or on a date. He had to be his friend, and Bucky was willing to make that compromise. He just hoped his heart wouldn’t break in the process.


	2. Our First Date

“You see Peter, what Bucky here left out, was that I was also head over heels for him too. But I thought he was messing with me. Cause you got to remember, I looked a lot different.” Peter nods. 

“I know! We saw the pictures in class! You were tiny! I mean not in a mean way. I just… Wow, I don’t think this Father O’Malley guy would be too happy to know that a blooming homosexual relationship was happening feet away from his pulpit.” Bucky snorts.

“No, he wouldn’t. Especially if he knew what we got up to now!” Bucky bumps into Steve, who turns beet red. 

Peter’s oblivious as he continues to ramble on. “So you met at the chapel. Then what? Did you become friends? Go on dates? Could gay people even go on dates back then? That must have been so hard!”

Steve nods, the memories of the fear and danger of living in the ‘20s and ‘30s as a gay man all come back to him. 

“Yeah, it was hard. If we got caught, we’d go to jail if we were lucky. If we weren’t lucky, well we wouldn’t be here in front of you, Petey. But that didn’t mean we didn’t go out or have fun, we just had to hide it.”

Bucky smiles, “You know, I still remember our first date. Even when I was under, they couldn’t get rid of that memory.”

Steve smiles softly as he pulls Bucky closer to his side. For a moment they were lost in domestic bliss. The pain, struggles, and adversaries they went through to get this, a home, a family, well, Steve wouldn’t want to go through it again, but it was worth it. Their brief, private moment of domesticity was broken, by an excited Peter.

“Please tell me about your first date! Who planned it? How did it go, did you have to go undercover or did…”

“If you let Steve here get a word in edgewise, I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it.” And Bucky was right. Their first date was, up until recently Steve’s favorite memory with Bucky. A moment where Steve didn’t have to be an awkward third wheel, or feel judged for his size. It was the day that changed Steve’s life forever.

\-----  
Growing up, Steve always hated his birthday. Being born on the 4th of July meant that his birthday was never really his. Except this year, Steve’s 18th birthday, Steve was buzzing with excitement. For weeks he’s been planning this, Bucky and his first official date. They went on many double dates, and sure, there’d be longing gazes, and the quick, very subtle game of footsie. And it was okay, but it wasn’t them. Something that Steve wanted since he met Bucky. So, tonight was going to be their night. Just them. 

The morning of his 18th birthday, he was absolutely buzzing with energy. His little body couldn’t keep up. Grabbing the white sheets he’s been “borrowing” from his neighbors (it’s not stealing because he will return them) he makes the climb up the fire escape to the rooftop. Wheezing, he grabs the first sheet and starts to pin it on the clothesline. It takes him many tries before he was able to pin it on straight and neat. 

Steve finishes about 30 minutes before Bucky said he’d swing by. And thank God that not a single member of the Barnes’ family is ever on time. Somehow, they always are managing to run late. This time, it was 45 minutes late. If it was anyone else, Steve would have worried that he’d been blown off. But knowing it was Buck, it gave him time to change into his nice Sunday clothes, and slick his hair back. Afterall, he had to look good for his best fella.

“Stevie! Sorry I’m late!” Bucky calls out as he climbs through Steve’s window. Even after knowing Steve and Sarah for three years, Bucky down right refuses to use the front door. Something about principals, whatever that meant.

“Yeah, sure you are Buck. Anyway, I’m… I’m glad you’re here. I, well, I have a surprise on the roof.” Heart racing, and his palms sweaty, Steve musters all the courage his little body could hold. Tonight was make it or break it. He felt like Bucky felt the same way about him, but what if Steve was just projecting? 

Climbing onto the roof, Bucky looks around. “Good hell Rogers, did you rob a sheet store?”

“Uh, not a store but our neighbors, yeah.”

Shaking his head, Bucky pulls Steve close to him, “and you wonder why you always get beaten up, one day I won’t be there to save you. But what’s with all this?”

Sneaking out of Bucky’s embrace, he grabs his small, old, and tinny radio. He sets it out on an old wooden crate. 

“This is all I want to do for my birthday, Buck. Dance with you, and only you. I don’t want to compete with some gal.” Tears start to well up in his eyes, and goddamnit, he swore he wasn’t going to cry. “You’re 19 Bucky! There’s a war brewing and soon, you’ll… You’ll leave me for some doll to start a family. We can’t be together, no matter how much I want to. I just want one day, one night. Just the two of us. Please,” Looking down to hide his tears, the please is barely a whisper. He laid his heart all out, now it’s all up to Bucky.

“Hey, you look at me,” Bucky grabs Steve’s shoulders, and tipping his chin up so those blue eyes look up at him.   
“You listen to me punk, the only way you’ll lose me is if I die. And I ain’t marrying no doll. We’ll move out to the country. Just the two of us. I loved you since I first saw ya, Rogers, and nothings going to change that.” He lets go of Steve to turn on the radio, and the crackling voice of Ella Fitzgerald fills the empty night air. 

Offering his hand, Bucky smiles softly at Steve, “now, is the sweetest and most gorgeous fella here gonna dance with me? Or am I gonna have to dance by myself?” Grabbing onto Bucky’s hand, Steve pulls Bucky close to him. 

“You’re never going to be alone Buck. You’ll always have me. I’ll always be there to catch you Buck. You’re stuck with me, jerk.” Steve curls around Bucky, standing on his shoes, and letting him lead in a swing. Just the two of them, holding on, without a single care in the world. Ella Fitzgerald’s raspy, radio voice rings out in the quiet night. Singing like the song was made just for them.

“Heaven, I'm in heaven,   
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak  
And I seem to find the happiness I seek  
When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek”


	3. Our First Kiss

“Oh my god! That’s so sweet Steve! That’s like The Greatest Showman stuff right there! And the song! It’s like it was written for you! Okay,” He bounces on the couch cushions. “What happens next? Cause you were 18, so that’s not the end!” 

Seeing Peter’s eagerness, well it warms Bucky’s heart. No one ever wants to hear his story. The public, the government, hell even some of the other Avengers. It was so easy to erase Bucky from Steve’s story, that sometimes, that little voice in the back of his head, that Steve one day would realize what everyone else thought of him. That he’d erase him too. But these small moments, like seeing Peter getting excited, made Bucky feel seen, validated. 

Bucky smiles at Peter, maybe after all he will like the boy. “You’re right spidey. There’s still about 8 years' worth of stories left.”

“Wow, eight years!” Peter's eyes go wide. “That’s so long! Me and MJ have only been together for like 3 months, I can’t imagine 8 whole years!”

“Well, you should imagine it, Petey. It’s a great thing,” Steve squeezes Bucky’s hand fondly, which Bucky returns with a punch to his shoulder.

“You fucking sap,” he chuckles, “anyway, where were we? When we met, our first date, ah our first kiss. And this one, well, this wasn’t Steve’s finest moments,” Steve shakes his head, laughing. 

“Or, we can not tell him?” Steve whispers sheepishly.

“NO!” Peter yells out. “I want to hear this! If I don’t, I won’t get a good grade, I’ll fail my class, flunk out of high school, and live on the side of the road. Do you really want that Steve?”

“Shit, Petey, don’t need to play the guilt card. But I just want to remind you, that back then, I didn’t look like this. That my immune system wasn’t the best and-” Peter cuts him off.

“Yeah yeah. Just get to the story!”

\-----  
Bucky truly and absolutely hates winter. The snow, wind, rain, and cold that goes bone-deep. But even that Bucky could manage. He hated winters because of the havoc it wreaks on his boyfriend (because finally, they were boyfriends, even if they had to hide it from the world). His small body couldn’t handle the winters, and with Sarah’s wages, they couldn’t afford heating. Every winter Bucky worried it’d be his last.

The week before Christmas of ‘37, Brooklyn was having one of its worst snowstorms in history. Trekking home from his works at the docks, he finally makes it to the warmth of his parents' house. Before he could get his coat off, his ma Winnie was at the door. 

“James, Sarah called. It’s Steven. He’s sick again. She thinks the flu or pneumonia. She has to work tonight, can you go and stay with him?” Bucky’s hearts start to pound. One bad flu or a bad case of pneumonia, and well… Steve wouldn’t make it. 

“Of course, ma. I’ll go right away. We have any of that-” Winnie finishes his sentence for her son. 

“Yep, here’s the soup. Now go!”

It takes Bucky some time to make his way to the Roger’s apartment. His heart shatters as he opens the door to Steve’s bedroom. Steve’s curled up in the middle of the small bed, piled under all the blankets they have. Slipping his shoes off, Bucky slips under the blankets and pulls Steve’s body next to his, trying to give him some more heat. 

“Buck?”

“Yeah, baby, it’s me. I’m here now. Get some sleep. My ma made some soup. Maybe you’ll eat in a bit.”

Steve rolls over, facing Bucky, as a strong heavy cough rocks his body. “Can’t be here Buck.” He whispers, Steve’s voice scratchy from all the coughing. 

“Why’s that, doll?”

Steve lets out a sigh, or at least Bucky thinks it’s a sigh. With how sick he is, maybe that’s just how he’s able to breathe. 

“Father O’Malley, says married folk can sleep together. No one else.” Bucky can’t help but let out a good belly laugh. His laugh is met with a weak push from Steve.

“Serious, Buck. We ain’t married. And that means-” Bucky’s had enough of Father O’Malley corrupting Steve’s mind. To hell what some stuck up priest thought. They were in love, and goddamnit, if they wanted to sleep together they should have every right to! 

Supporting Steve’s head, Bucky leans in and kisses Steve, stopping his rambling. 

“Buck! I… You’re gonna get sick now!” Steve cries as they pull back. 

“Well punk, I liked it, so it’s worth it. Unless you don’t…” Bucky freezes for a moment, mortified, what if Steve didn’t want this and he just broke all the trust they had.

“No, I did.” He slurs, sleepily. “Just don’t want our first kiss to be when I’m sick.” Bucky smiles, rolling Steve over to rub his back. 

“Then baby, you best get better. Cause there are a lot more kisses coming your way.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! Follow me on tumblr at @godofplumsandthunder for more of my madness.


End file.
